Construction to begin on two new hotels in Tallinn
An elegant Hampton by Hilton hotel will be completed in the onetime location of the Eha cinema (Tartu mnt 49) by late 2024 and the first Hyatt Place hotel in the Baltics will start being built in late 2025 at Sadama 4.
The first steps to build the Hampton by Hilton were taken in early 2020, but then the coronavirus pandemic foiled plans. The customer came back to Merko Ehitus Estonia and signed a new contract.
Representative of the property owner and hotel developer GVP Invest Estonia OÜ, Sigitas Daugnoras, hailed the strong signs of recovery in the hospitality services market in Tallinn after the trying conditions in the meantime. “We are seeing stability returning and Swedish, German and French tourists coming back,” said Daugnoras.
The project, which got a building permit in summer 2019 for development of a design by architect Tõnis Tarbe, will consist of a building with primarily five storeys with a six-storey wing, with 185 rooms. The cinema building has outlived its use and will be torn down.
Hampton by Hilton is one of the world’s best known hotel brands, and currently operates 3000 hotels in 31 countries worldwide. The Hampton guests are mainly mid-level managers, business travellers, tourists and families with children who put a premium on the chain’s great locations and affordable prices. The chain emphasizes comfort and modern design, offering services, entertainment and dining options on a more modest scale, although breakfast is always included at Hampton by Hilton.
Hyatt Place will be the first lodging establishment in the Baltics to meet the Hyatt chain’s standards. The location in a fast-developing port area, near the tram line connecting Rail Baltic and Old City Terminal makes it a convenient choice for tourists arriving by ship, train and plane.
Under the terms of the contract, the first phase, to be ready by end of 2024, will include the building shell, to be followed by interior finishing and furnishing.
“Our goal is to create a contemporary hotel at the highest standards of quality. The Hyatt hotel group is one of the biggest on the global hotel market, and we’re glad the Estonian capital can finally welcome it,” said Igor Viskub, management board member at Estma HPT.
Viskub said he was pleased that after many long years, Tallinn is now well-integrated with the seafront. “The hotel’s location wasn’t chosen at random, of course. The city centre has been consistently becoming more orientated to the sea and the proximity of the Old Town is an added advantage. The project should draw more tourists to Tallinn and create about 100 new jobs,” said Viskub.
Chairman of the Merko Ehitus Eesti management board Ivo Volkov: “The construction contract was preceded by a long preparation period. We’re glad that we can contribute to bringing new quality to the Estonian hotel market. The thorough efforts taking place in the spirit of cooperation will ensure the envisioned result, which will be something that also Tallinn residents and visitors can enjoy.”
The Hyatt hotel to be completed by the end of 2025, with six above-ground and one underground level, will have 169 rooms, including family rooms and suites. On premises will be the Zoom Restaurant, a lobby bar and a stylish penthouse bar. Additional amenities include a gym and conference and event spaces that can be flexibly adapted for a variety of events.
The building will have 14,780 m2 of floorspace, which will house both the hotel and office space. Some of the office space will be leased out and the companies connected to Estma OÜ will move into the remainder. The design of both the office and hotel building is by the architects at Karisma.